The earth shook and trembled: the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them.
וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ ׀ הָאָ֗רֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י הָרִ֣ים יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
When the Son of Man experienced such glory, sinners were stirred and filled with fear. The very foundations of the mountains quaked. The aspirations of the arrogant that existed in this world were brought to nothing. They were unsettled because of God's wrath against them. In other words, the desire for earthly possessions will no longer hold a place in the hearts of humanity.
The ground shook and quaked when the Lord made His descent. This event caused all who inhabited the earth to be stirred, and every land was filled with the sound of His presence. The mountains represent the wicked forces that elevate themselves in opposition to the glory of God. David refers to the profound and concealed intentions rooted within as 'their foundations.' They were shaken because of God's displeasure towards us, stemming from the long period during which they had misled the earthly dwellers with their idolatrous beliefs.
The Prophet spoke not solely from a place of certainty but rather as inspired by faith. The Lord not only brought judgment upon the people, but He also instilled fear through powerful manifestations like lightning, thunder, quakes, and flames. This was intended to instill dread in Israel, as evidenced by the sight of Mount Sinai engulfed in smoke and fire. In a similar manner, this Prophet illustrated to his adversaries the consequences of their actions. He also instructs others to refrain from such deeds to avoid experiencing comparable afflictions.
The earth was shaken and trembled, marking the commencement of a prophetic declaration concerning Jesus Christ within the Psalm. St. David employs past tense verbs with a future implication, a distinctive characteristic of prophetic language. There can be no doubt that this passage pertains to Christ, as nothing resembling the described events transpired during David's reign. Notably, while the LXX translates it as ‘the earth moved and trembled,’ Aquila's version states: ‘the earth shook and trembled.’ Here, "earth" refers to humanity, formed from the ground and dwelling upon it. When Jesus Christ proclaimed His teachings, the entire world felt a disturbance—both Jews and Gentiles experienced the pervasive glory surrounding Him.
The concepts of fear and confusion are intertwined; they were alarmed by the miraculous deeds performed by the Savior. Trembling signifies fear, as those who are frightened often shake in trepidation. Alternatively, this can be interpreted as those drawn to Christ being shaken by the rumors circulating about Him, overwhelmed by their own misunderstandings.
The foundations of the mountains were shattered and stirred, signifying God's displeasure towards them. Here, "mountains" symbolize demons, reflecting their inherent pride and arrogance, while the foundations represent their hidden malevolent schemes. Witnessing Christ's unassailable power, the demons were consumed by uncertainty, questioning who this figure could be, and pondering the repercussions of their impending suffering at His hands. Thus, their thoughts were thrown into chaos, causing them to be unsettled and diminished from their previously held dominion over the world. This was a consequence of divine wrath for their oppression and enslavement of the downtrodden human race. Moreover, this scripture can also be interpreted as predicting the natural phenomena that occurred during the Lord's crucifixion, when the earth quaked and the stones were split, in response to God's anger towards the Jewish people.
The metaphor of the arrival of the Son When the Son of God manifested in human form, all elements of creation trembled and quaked. News of His presence reached every ear, both Greek and non-Greek alike. The very foundations of the mountains were stirred. Mountains symbolize the lofty ideologies that have risen against the knowledge of God, along with opposing forces that for centuries have guided humanity into various superstitions about the Divine. These foundational beliefs, or profound thoughts, feeling the weight of the Lord’s authority, were moved, for God was displeased with them.
David was unable to fully express the divine assistance he had received; therefore, he depicts this reality through vivid imagery, reflecting that these changes are as apparent as those that occur in the heavens and the earth. If circumstances were to remain constant, God's power would not be as easily recognized. However, when God dramatically alters the heavens with rain, thunder, or storms, even the most indifferent awaken to His presence, as such sudden transformations highlight God's involvement. Even amidst serene skies, God's majesty is undeniably present, yet humanity often fails to recognize it until God approaches more closely.
To resonate more profoundly with us, David illustrates the sudden transformations that typically impact us—God appearing shrouded in thick clouds, then accompanied by storms, tempests, strong winds, lightning, and thunder. His intention is to convey that when God sought to rescue him from adversaries, He exhibited signs of deliverance as powerful as if He had violently shaken both heaven and earth, altering all creation. He states that the earth trembled, and the foundations of the mountains were uprooted, implying that there is nothing so steadfast in the world that it remains unshaken. It is crucial to understand that David does not recount these events as historical fact but employs these metaphors to accommodate the limitations of human understanding, as people often grasp God’s essence only through external manifestations. The belief that these miracles occurred visibly is unfounded, as Holy Scripture does not mention such events in the narrative of David’s life. Ultimately, the Prophet emphasizes God's limitless might, capable of shaking the earth to its core at a moment's notice, or summoning fierce winds, dense clouds, and fearful thunder and lightning, resembling the events at Mount Sinai when He delivered the law and guided the Israelites across the Red Sea. The phrase "God is angry with me" pertains to adversaries or wicked individuals; thus, God frequently expresses His fervent jealousy and indignation, coming forth to defend and safeguard the faithful.
On the cross, the Savior called out to God the Father, saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Upon his surrender, as he bowed his head and released his spirit, the earth trembled, and the rocks were split apart (Matthew 27:51). The mountains represent the arrogant adversaries. Their very foundations shook with power when Christ descended into Hades, bringing devastation. This serves as a foretelling of the Final Judgment.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS